Woodstock Residence

Nurse and Director of Nursing

Woodstock Residence

20-Apr-2011The former nursing director of Woodstock Residence nursing center, Penny Whitlock, has been charged with criminal neglect and obstruction of justice.
While a Chicago personal injury attorney can tell you that nursing home neglect is all too common, this particular situation is truly shocking.
The charges come after a lengthy 15-month investigation into six suspicious deaths in 2006 at the nursing center - including the exhumation of the bodies of three patients who had passed away during that time period.

An experienced Chicago personal injury attorney knows from extensive experience with nursing home neglect that patients are often mistreated by the staff who ought to be caring for them.

According to the Chicago Sun Times' coverage of the trial, "despite being nursing director, Whitlock never tried to stop Marty Himebaugh from allegedly overmedicating patients at a Woodstock nursing home, including at least one who died from a morphine overdose, prosecutors contended.

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Attorneys for Whitlock deny that she ever neglected patients or acted improperly.
If she is convicted of these charges, Whitlock faces a maximum of three years in prison.

Penny Whitlock is the former nursing home supervisor of Woodstock Residence.Her testimony took place during a hearing over her motion to suppress testimony that was likely to accuse her of making incriminating statements about what she knew about the residents' deaths.
Whitlock's attorney says that Illinois State Police failed to honor her civil rights when they didn't read her Miranda rights until the interview where she is accused of making incriminating statements was well under way.

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Penny Whitlock was indicted on seven charges-including two felony charges of obstructing justice and five counts of criminal neglect-related to several deaths that occurred at the McHenry County nursing home in 2006.

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After Whitlock found out about the nurse's behavior, she reportedly told the nurse she could be the home's "Angel of Death.
The indictment against Whitlock also accuses the former supervisor of failing to report the first suspicious death (of Derek Magnus), which allegedly allowed for three more residents to die from morphine overdoses.

Whitlock has denied all the charges against her.
Her attorney tried to get three of the criminal charges dropped against her on the grounds that Illinois law does not allow a defendant to be accused of neglecting someone because of neglect against someone else.

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Rather, the question is whether or not Whitlock failed to report the alleged nursing home abuse.

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In the first nursing home abuse lawsuit, Vicki Lund is suing WHRC & RC Inc, Whitlock, Himebaugh, and Woodstock Residence Administrator Alissa Nataupsky for her mother Virginia Cole's death due to alleged morphine overdose.

Penny Whitlock, a former nurse and director of nursing at the Illinois nursing home, Woodstock Residence, now called Crossroads Care Center of Woodstock, requested that three charges against her related to nursing home abuse and neglect be thrown out.
The charges allege that she neglected three nursing home residents by failing to blow the whistle on the mistreatment of another patient.
Whitlock filed a motion asking the judge to throw out three charges for neglecting long-term care facility residents, claiming she cannot be charged for neglect of patients other than the one who she allegedly knew was being mistreated.
In total, Whitlock is charged with five counts of criminal neglect of a long-term care facility residentand two counts of obstructing justice.

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At the heart of the issue is whether Whitlock failed to take action after receiving complaints from other staff members alleging that Himebaugh was overmedicating nursing home patients with morphine and whether Whitlock urged Himebaugh to continue being an "Angel of Death.

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At the heart of the issue is whether Whitlock failed to take action after receiving complaints from other staff members alleging that Himebaugh was overmedicating nursing home patients with morphine and whether Whitlock urged Himebaugh to continue being an "Angel of Death.

Penny Whitlock is the former nursing home supervisor of Woodstock Residence.Her testimony took place during a hearing over her motion to suppress testimony that was likely to accuse her of making incriminating statements about what she knew about the residents' deaths.
Whitlock's attorney says that Illinois State Police failed to honor her civil rights when they didn't read her Miranda rights until the interview where she is accused of making incriminating statements was well under way.

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Illinois Nursing Home Negligence?: Assisted Living Facility Where Suspicious Morphine Deaths Occurred in the Headlines Once More Former nursing supervisor Penny Whitlock has been cleared of the...